Think I messed up system apps - Now what?

[IncogDeano]

Hi all, my first post!

I have a Galaxy S3 (Sprint), rooted. I have been backing up faithfully for the 10 months I've had the phone with Titanium Backup Pro. Well, I swapped out my SD cards to a bigger one and wanted to keep Links2SD links so I read a post somewhere that said to restore missing apps and all system data. What a mess!

Well, I guess that was a bad idea, because then I had problems with some of the system apps. So then I restored, one by one, the system apps to the last backup (1 week before) and included data. Arghh!! I know I messed up now.

Anyway, now Google Search, Google Maps, Google+, Google Mail, Google, and probably a couple more, give messages when using and when not of "Unfortunately (app name) has stopped working." I also get a notice from Google saying "Location services has lost my setting." At this point, I'm not even sure what I restored.

So, I feel like the apps I restored with data aren't quite right any more. They do work sometimes, but mostly not. I messed with system apps and I'm paying the price.

They also update all the time when I turn on the phone. Like almost every time. Additionally, I did download some from PlayStore - like Google Mail, and Google+, and DropBox. Dropbox now gives a msg that I have to update to continue at startup occasionally.

Is there any possible solution to this disaster? From what I've read it sounds like a factory restore won't restore the system apps I've messed up, right?

I'm super frustrated. I've been researching online for three days, and haven't found anything.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[gollum18]

Are you running a stock based ROM? If so download the latest gapps for 4.1.2 from goomanager and install it in recovery. Gapps is the zip file for Google apps and installing it will replace all of your corrupt Google apps with fresh versions.

Just make sure to wipe your cache and dalvik cache before flashing it.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[KryspyDoughnut]

A similar problem happened to me on my rooted S4. What i did was un-root via flashing stock firmware on ODIN, and then doing a full reset of the device. Again, this is the S4, not the S3, so i don't know if this will work on your device.

 

[IncogDeano]

KryspyDoughnut, I was just watching a QBKing video on how to do what you're suggesting - so I may try that. If I do, is it safe to restore apps and data with Titanium Backup (not system apps - lol!)?

gollum18, I am running stock ROM and am going to try the gapps thing. Ooops, actually, after reading it, does it update and behave like the original Google stuff on my phone?

Thank you both.

 

[GSDer]

I'd suggest using the Kies software on your PC to flash the correct firmware - there's less opportunity for error in selecting an incorrect firmware. Regardless, you'll have to reroot the firmware once you're done (unless you use Odin to flash an already-rooted ROM).

Using GooManager to update to the latest GAPPS package will give you the latest versions of those apps that they've combined, but that doesn't mean that you still won't have to go into the Google Play Store to update one or more. That's not going to solve your Dropbox issue though.

If you flash a new ROM you can use Titanium Backup to restore (once you're done rerooting).

Are you using Link2SD: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ps/details?id=com.buak.Link2SD&token=8KGdx3ev or a different app? I don't use anything like that myself - frankly, most apps are so small as to be irrelevant in comparison to the total size of the internal storage (32GB in my case). There are a few games, though (The Bard's Tale, for example), that would make it worthwhile to move to the SDCard if the game doesn't have a setting to allow the resource files to be put there. I just wouldn't mess with doing this with every app under the sun.

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk 2

 

[IncogDeano]

Thanks GSDer,
I think I will follow your advice and try to use Kies to flash the stock ROM, then re-root. I guess this would give me the necessary system apps back?